Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: johnw@stew.ssl.berkeley.edu (John Warren) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Use of God's money Message-ID: Date: 17 Apr 91 06:47:08 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Space Science Labs Lines: 71 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article jsast@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Johann) writes: > In article #something-or-other, johnw@stew.ssl.berkeley.edu writes: >> Does this mean that ministers, who should encourage people to give joyfully, >> won't abuse the money you give? No, but the giving action is between you and >> God; he knows your attitude. > >I agree with your main argument that unwillingness to give is a transgression >between God and the individual. In this sense, I have no right to interfere. >However, don't I have an obligation to be sure that God's money is being >used in accordance with his will? If I knew my church was going to rent >our basement to a group of Satan worshippers so they could carry on their >rituals, I couldn't be silent. It would be unthinkable for me to allow >God's house to be used in such a manner. Why should it be different for >God's money? > Be careful here. God never made provision in the Old Testament to which Levites the Israelites were to give their money, the good ones or the evil ones. I believe it's the same way in the Catholic Church. Galatians 6:6 says that we should fellowship (i.e., koinonia, or joint participation in material things, at least) with the one who taught us. Another passage (in Corintians) says that the preacher of the Gospel is the NT equivalent of the Priests and Levites in the OT. We give to the one who taught us, no matter his moral state. Again, that's between him and God. Even if he is secretly a satan-worshiper. (Might I add that a satan-worshiper would probably not make a good teacher/preacher?) If you are taught, then you owe, just as if you eat at a restaurant, you pay where you ate; don't pay the local McDonald's instead. If you want to eat at the local McDonald's, go ahead, next time. If God, by his grace, shows you that the one who taught you God's word doesn't live up to it himself (But who among us does? I would say that it would be good to be slow in making this judgment.), then go ahead and find a new storehouse (i.e., teacher of God's word; see Mal. 3:10), **after** you give the tithes you owe to the one you found out to be immoral. Hopefully you will be able to find a better teacher/preacher/storehouse. > >If my minister was using the Lord's money at the race track (as a previous >poster used the example) I would not try to act like he had sinned against >me. I agree, he did not make any bets with my money. HOWEVER, as I saw >that he was using the Lord's money in a way inconsistant with God's will, >I wouldn't give him anymore. I firmly believe this is what the Lord would >want. > I want to reiterate: don't be too hasty in your judgment. The so-called 'immoral' teacher of the Word may be the best teacher you'll be able to find. Preachers are human, and contrary to popular Christian opinion, they are to be held to the same moral standard as we who listen to and learn from them. > >. . ., when my church decides to spend >$5,000 on a new set of chimes to be put in the rear of the sanctuary, it is >time for me to start giving to a soup kitchen. I cannot believe that feeding >the hungry is contrary to God's purpose. > It's not, but feeding the hungry with the money that God claims as his own (i.e., the tithes and firstfruits) is. > Peace, > -Jon Anderson John Warren "Let that tape keep rolling, Let your faith keep growing, Let your light keep shining, Be careful what you sign." -Larry Norman